title: Ojeok-san, a traditional Korean herbal medicine attenuates airway inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis induced by repeated ovalbumin challenge.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ojeok-san, a traditional Korean herbal medicine, is widely used in China, Japan and Korea for treatment of the common cold, pain and fever.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we investigated the protective effects of Ojeok-san aqueous extract (OJS) against pulmonary fibrosis using a chronic asthma murine model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mice were sensitized by intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin (OVA), followed 1 weeks later by an airway challenge with OVA delivered three times a week for 4 weeks. OJS (50mg/kg or 100mg/kg) was also administered by oral gavage once a day for 4 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  OJS significantly reduced interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13, eotaxin, immunoglobulin E and the number of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid; in addition, it reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and mucus production in the respiratory tract. We found that OJS also attenuated the OVA-induced increase in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and Smad3 protein in lung tissue, as determined by Western analysis and immunohistochemistry. These inhibitory effects of OJS were accompanied by a reduction in pulmonary fibrosis, consistent with the histopathology of lung tissue stained with Masson's trichrome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Administration of OJS reduced the airway inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis, as well as the level of T helper type 2 cytokines and VEGF and TGF-β1/Smad3 expressions in lung tissue. These results suggest that OJS might represent a useful new oral therapy for the treatment of chronic asthma.
authors.affiliation: Basic Herbal Medicine Research Group, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, 483 Expo-ro, Yusung-gu, Daejeon 305-811, Republic of Korea. dvmmk79@gmail.com
authors.forename: In Sik
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Mee Young
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Woo Young
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Jong Choon
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyeun Kyoo
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Shin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D005260:Female; D055670:Medicine, Korean Traditional; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D056910:Republic of Korea
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D010936:Plant Extracts; C587280:ojeok-san; D010047:Ovalbumin
keywords: Chronic asthma; Ojeok-san; Pulmonary fibrosis; Smad3; Transforming growth factor; Vascular endothelial growth factor